Among the Shadows
by Kya Lorne
Summary: It's back! Trouble is stirring anew in Junon and Tifa finds herself swept up in the battle to control the city alongside some unlikely allies. But things take a turn for the worse when stranger and more dangerous circumstances emerge.
1. Chapter One

Disclaimer:  I do not own Final Fantasy VII, or anything associated.  All original ideas belong to me.  :)

A/N:  Finally, I have begun to reshape this fic so that it flows better.  I hope you all like it.  It may start out similar, but it will rapidly take a whole new direction.  

Chapter One

Midgar, 1 day post-meteor

            Men and women trudged through the giant pile of rubble that was once the city of Midgar searching for any survivors.  They were those who lived through the near apocalypse.  Some of them had loved ones that were in Midgar at the time of the assaults by WEAPON and meteor.  The rest did not know what else to do with themselves.

            None of the would-be rescuers had found anyone alive so far, only bodies.  Most of them were in pretty bad shape too, smashed beyond recognition.  They identified those that could be, then all were hauled off to a large pit that served as a mass grave.

            Two men in Shin-Ra uniforms sifted through the broken chunks of concrete, rock, and twisted metal.  They had been digging for most of the afternoon with their heads hung low.  The sun was bright and warm, making the labor a bit uncomfortable.  A nasty stench was beginning to rise up as the heat accelerated the decomposition of dead flesh.  Deciding to take a break, the men sat down on a large piece of debris.

            "This is pointless," one man stated, wiping the sweat from his brow.

            "It seems so.  Do you actually think we are going to find anyone alive in this mess?" the other asked.

            "I doubt it.  Midgar has been thoroughly destroyed.  I can't even fathom someone surviving this kind of disaster."

            "Yeah, but I'm not ready to give up all hope just yet."  He paused.  "I heard they found the body of Rufus Shin-Ra earlier this morning."  
            "Really?  Wow, I guess this truly is the end of Shin-Ra Corp."

            The second man kicked at bits of rubble beneath his feet.  As he watched them skitter away, he noticed something poking out from the rocks.  He hopped down from his perch to take a closer look.

            It was a single finger with a long red finger nail.

            He turned back and looked at his partner.  "Hey Makom, I found one!"

            By the time the other man came down to join him, he had already uncovered the rest of the hand the finger belonged to and part of the arm.  "Another dead body.  I don't know how much more of this I can take."

            Working together, they removed the rubble covering the body to reveal that of a woman.  She had deep gashes that laced around her body, the blood having saturated the shredded red dress she wore.  Her face was swollen and bruised, but it did not take the two men long to recognize who the woman was.

            "Oh my gods, it's Scarlet!" the second man cried.

            He bent down quickly to check for a pulse.  Not that he expected to find one, but he decided to take a shot in the dark anyway.  He practically fell backwards when he felt the sign of life.  "She's got a pulse!"

            "Are you sure, Fyn?" Makom asked skeptically.

            "Yes I'm sure!" he yelled back.  "It's very weak, but it's there.  Feel for yourself."

            Makom reached down and touched Scarlet's neck in the same manner.  He too felt a weak pulse.  His eyes grew wide at the prospect of having found someone alive in the ruins.  "Holy shit, you're right!"

            Reaching into his pocket, Fyn pulled out a piece of green materia.  He placed it in a slot on his armband.  "I'm going to cast a cure spell," he stated.

            "Cure 3!"

            Both men waited for the restore materia to respond, but when it failed to react after a few moments they became puzzled.  Staring down at the crystalline sphere, Fyn attempted to call forth its power a second time.  There still was no response.

            "What's wrong with this thing?" he admonished, looking to Makom for answers.

            But the other man did not have them.  He merely continued to study the unresponsive materia.  However he did notice something strange about its appearance.  "It's dull.  That certain 'glow' is gone.  Maybe it's been used up?"

            "But that doesn't make sense," Fyn replied.  "I've never heard of anything like that ever happening to materia before."

            "Do you have other pieces?"

            "Yeah…"

            "Take them out."

            Fyn produced a few other various types of materia from his pocket and placed them on the ground in front of him.  They too had lost their sheen and were dull.  "This is so strange."

            "I agree, but we have more pressing matters at hand," Makom stated, looking back over at Scarlet.  "Let me see if I have any potions."

            Rummaging through his belt pouch, Makom located a glass vial.  "One left."  He gently lifted Scarlet's head and poured the liquid into her mouth.  Moments later she stirred slightly, giving a weak moan.  "We need to get her some better medical attention quickly."

            Without hesitation, Fyn picked her up, cradling her in his arms.  The two men began to make their way over to a tent in the distance that served as a crude infirmary.  Along the way, Scarlet regained consciousness.  She opened her eyes slowly to see the face of the man who held her.  "Where am I?"

            Fyn looked down at her, concerned.  "You shouldn't try to speak with your severe injuries.  It's a miracle we found you alive at all in the ruins of Midgar."

            "Ruins?  Midgar?  Huh?" was all Scarlet managed to say in response.  Her entire body was in pain and so many thoughts were swirling around her head as she tried to piece together what had happened.

            "Midgar was completely destroyed by the double onslaught of WEAPON and meteor.  So far you are the only one who has been found alive, although just barely.

            "Any news of Rufus?"

            "Yes.  They found his body early this morning.  It wasn't in very good shape…"

            "Oh," she replied, then stayed silent.  When Fyn turned his face away, a small smile appeared on her battered face.  _Excellent._

* * * * * * 

Wutai, 6 months post-meteor

            Tifa looked around the room she had called home since the destruction of Meteor and Sephiroth.  It was empty now, except for bare furniture and her suitcases.  After everything was over she had nowhere to go.  So she, Cloud, and Vincent took Yuffie up on her offer to stay at her place in Wutai for awhile.  There was no way she could go back to Nibelheim.  Barret went to North Corel and settled there with Marlene, Reeve had gone to Junon to help rebuild the city, while Red and Cid returned to their respective homes.

            She did not really want to leave Wutai and her friends behind, but she could not stay.  There were too many memories and too much pain every time she looked at her friends-especially Cloud.  It had only been three nights prior that she walked past his room in the middle of the night to hear him cry out for Aeris in his sleep.  When straightening his room the next morning, she found her pink ribbon tucked neatly under his pillow.  It was then she made her decision.

            It had been the only reason she had stuck around at all, a chance that she and Cloud could finally be together.  But he would never love her in that way.  A few tears welled up in her eyes as she thought about the misery she put herself through for him, being reminded of the horrors they all endured each and every day.  She let a single tear drip down, then wiped her eyes.  _I will not cry._

            Picking up her belongings, Tifa made her way quietly to the front door.  She took a deep breath and walked out into the night, heading for the sand buggy.  As she approached a lithe, shadowy figure detached itself from a nearby building.  For a split second Tifa hoped it was Cloud waiting to tell her not to go, but she shook her head.  Her mind was made up.  Fortunately, the figure turned out to be Yuffie.

            "Are you sure about this, Tifa?"

            "Yes.  It's something I have to do."

            "Are you absolutely, one hundred percent, totally positive?"

            Tifa sighed light-heartedly.  Even after everything that had transpired, she was still the same old Yuffie.  "I will miss you, Yuffie.  I will miss Cloud and Vincent, too.  But as I said, I need some time alone to sort out my thoughts and feelings.  I'll come back and visit after I've worked out a few things."

            "Promise?"

            "I promise."

            "Yay!"  The little ninja jumped up and down excitedly then threw her arms around Tifa, almost knocking them both over.  After regaining her balance, Yuffie stepped back and grabbed a tanned leather pouch decorated with a Wutaian design from the ground.  "Here.  I want you this."  She tossed it to Tifa.  "It's some gil to help you settle in and stuff.  I would have given you some materia, but the stupid things don't work anymore."

            "Thank you, Yuffie.  I really appreciate it."

            "Well, I don't want you to live in some rat hole," the ninja replied meekly.  Feeling a little embarrassed by her show of affection, she put her hands on her hips in an attempt to look like an authority figure.  "I expect you to pay it all back, though."

            "Of course, Yuffie," Tifa chuckled.  "Goodbye."

            "Bye!"

            Tifa tossed her bags into the back of the sand buggy.  When she turned back around, she found Vincent standing behind Yuffie.  His stoic form was like a statue silhouetted in the moonlight.  Tifa smiled warmly.

            "Vincent…"

            He made no reply and instead he slowly approached her, his cloak billowing out behind him.  Then he did the unexpected.  Reaching his arms out, he pulled Tifa close in a tight embrace.  Shocked, she just stood limply in his arms for a moment before returning the gesture.

            "Goodbye, Tifa," he said simply, his rich voice a melody in the air.  He then leaned his head in close, his lips just inches from her ear, and whispered two words that made his actions make sense: "I understand."

            His words gave her strength, but his actions had made all the difference.  Vincent always shunned physical contact, preferring a blanket of self-pity and distance.  Not that she blamed him.  But he never let others drown in that same pool.  So if he could understand her decision to leave and open himself up enough to show his compassion, Tifa felt she made the right choice.  _But why is this still so hard?_

            The two parted, and Vincent walked back over next to Yuffie, who looked like she was going to burst into tears any moment.  Tifa jumped into the driver's seat and started up the buggy.  She took one last look at her friends and waved, then threw the buggy into drive and headed off towards the exit of Wutai.  In the rearview mirror, she could see Yuffie waving wildly as she and Vincent disappeared into the distance.

            As she passed out of Wutai, Tifa's thoughts drifted.  After everything she had been through recently, all the fighting, death, and destruction, leaving was by far the hardest.  In her mind she knew it was for the best, but her heart still screamed out for Cloud to appear and tell her that he loves her and only her.  She knew it was selfish but she did not care.  Shaking her head, she concentrated on the road ahead to keep her mind off her emotions.  She figured she would have plenty of time to wallow in her sorrows when she was on the ferry over to the next continent.

* * * * * *

            Cloud sat alone high up on the Da Chao, his knees pulled up against his chest.  He watched as the tiny figure of the buggy left Wutai and drove off far below him.  His eyes dropped away as he thought about why she had left.

            He knew it had been Tifa that had made his bed for him a few days ago.  Aeris's ribbon was folded neatly on top of his pillow.  That was why he could not be there when she left.  He could not face her, to see the pain in her eyes.  So instead he decided to watch from afar.  He looked back up at the eastern horizon with anguish in his eyes.

            "I'm sorry, Tifa."

A/N:  It's back!  New and hopefully improved.  I sent an e-mail to anyone who had reviewed this story to let ya'll know it was back.  I may not update all too often cuz I am going to work on this and my AeriSeph at the same time, and I am also working on another songfics for my Dragonball Z series.  Anyway, please read and review!  Thanx!


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

A/N:  Another chapter!  I'm so proud of myself.  The first chapter and the first part of this one are still pretty similar to the original, but then you will see a drastic change occur.  I hope ya like it!

            Tifa wearily stepped off the Ocean-liner that had just docked in Junon Harbor.  She had been traveling around for nearly two weeks, searching for a place to call home.  Everywhere she had been so far had caused too many memories to flood her head.  Even then, staring up at the immensity that was upper Junon, the pain made her dizzy.  But she had to stay somewhere and she figured that at least in Junon she could lose herself, blend into the anonymity of the city and went to find the nearest hotel.

* * * * * * 

            Looking around the modest hotel room, Tifa sighed and forced a small smile.  The carpeting was matted down and stained and the furniture had seen better days.  At least the bedding seemed fresh.  "Home sweet home," she said as she dropped her belongings to the floor.  "Well for the next few days or so."

            The first thing she did was make a bee-line for the bathroom, which was surprisingly quite clean.  She was desperately in need of a shower.  Traveling constantly was not conducive to good hygiene, a lesson she had already learned during the quest to save the planet.  After she was finished, she wrapped herself up in the complementary terry-cloth robe.  She figured it had probably been white at one time, but was now a dingy gray.

            Plopping herself down on the double bed in the center of the room, Tifa sat and thought about her options.  The lady at the front desk had told her the TV was busted, so that was out.  It was too late to go hunting for more permanent living arrangements, but also too early to go to bed.

            Her mind began to wander off a bit, thinking about what she would be doing at the moment if she had still been in Wutai.  She'd probably be hanging out with Yuffie, Cloud, and perhaps even the reclusive Vincent up at the Turtle's Paradise or something, laughing and having an all-around good time.  Instead she was sitting in a decrepit hotel room, all alone.  She started to regret her decision to leave, just a little bit.  Things had been painful, especially because of Cloud, but at least she had friends she could count on to be there.  Now she had nothing.

            Nothing.  That word repeated itself over and over again in her head.  Did she really have nothing?  She fought hard against the tears that started to form.  Shaking her head, she made a decision.

            "I am NOT going to sit around here and feel sorry for myself, wishing for could haves and might have beens.  Screw it," she said out loud to herself.  Standing up, Tifa quickly shed the robe, grabbed her bag, and rummaged around for something to wear.  "I'm going out.  I will find something."

* * * * * *

            While many lives had been lost in Midgar and the surrounding area that fateful day, many more perished around the planet in the months to follow.  If the WEAPONs had succeeded in what they had been designed to do, most life would have been purged from the planet.  This would have replenished the Lifestream so it could heal the massive wound and start life again anew.  But the planet's children had evolved beyond its control.  Due to the lack of Lifestream, they were suffering the consequences.

            Materia no longer functioned.  Crops that year had failed; the harvest meager at best.  People and livestock starved to death.  The mako reactors had run dry.  Many of the old coal plants had been fired up, but they could not supply the power demanded.  Coal had fast become a hot commodity, driving the price of power through the roof.  The only place that had not suffered was Wutai, but then again they had never used mako power.  The Wutaian gods must have spared them from the punishment inflicted upon the rest.

            As Tifa walked the streets of Upper Junon's main commercial district, she saw that Junon seemed to have fared worst of all.  While it had appeared unchanged on the surface, the city had deteriorated just like the rest of the planet.  The once proud harbor city had become like the slums of Midgar.  The downfall of the city had been rapid as even the most rich and powerful fell victim to the planet's decline.  Without Shin-Ra, control of the city came into the hands of the sorely inept mayoral government.  It had tried hard to preserve the integrity of the city, but when the world goes to hell, there is little anyone can do.  Crime was rampant and civil unrest vast.  There was even talk amongst the former elite that they longed for the days of Shin-Ra's power.

            Tifa wandered about the vagrant and garbage-filled streets with no particular destination until a flickering neon sign in the window of a rundown bar caught her eye.  She stared that the blue letters displaying the bar's name.  Cloud Nine, she thought, ironic in so many ways.  Shrugging indifferently, Tifa pulled open the rickety door and went inside.

* * * * * *

            A man with dirty hair and tattered clothing raced down an empty alleyway, looking behind himself periodically.  Stopping abruptly in front of a rusty metal door, he fumbled hastily through his back pocket for a key.  As he reached down, his fingers found a gaping hole in the bottom.

            "Shit!"

            The sound of footsteps echoing off the brick walls of the surrounding buildings reached his ears.  In a panic, he abandoned his efforts to gain entry and took off running again.  He leaped over debris that littered the ground, desperate to reach the other end.

            Once free of the alley, the man swung a hard left, narrowly missing a sleeping vagrant huddled against a building.  His eyes darted about searching for a place to hide.  He did not have much time before his pursuers would reach the street, leaving him as open and easy prey.  He ran across the street to a small, non-descript bar and ducked inside.

            Mere seconds later, three more figures, two men and a woman, emerged onto the street.  They were far different from the first man.  Each was dressed in an expensive looking suit, a rarity in those hard times.  Frightened whispers could be heard from those who had ever had a run-in with them.  Even after everything that had befallen them, the Turks still commanded fear from the hearts of those that dared to cross them.

            "Where'd that sonofabitch go?" Reno spouted angrily.

            Rude's eyes quickly swept the street.  He shrugged.  "….."

            "Real helpful, ya big asshole," Reno retorted.  Not one to waste time when on the job, the fiery red-head grabbed a nearby man by the collar and jerked him up to his face.

            "The man who just came out of the alley, where'd he go?" he demanded.

            Too frightened to speak, the smallish man cowered in Reno's grasp.  After being shaken a few times, he eventually pointed to the bar their target had just disappeared into.  Reno threw the man to the ground.  "Thanks."  He turned back to Rude and Elena.  "Let's go."

* * * * * *

            A young girl stood with her back against the wall, trapped there by an extremely drunk, heavy-set man.  Desperately looking for a route of escape, she could find none.  His face was inches from hers, the stench of his breath was abominable as he breathed on her.

            "Come on, baby.  How's about a little kiss."  The words were slurred.

            "Please…just leave me alone," the girl whispered in a small, frightened voice.

            The man grew angry.  "What, I ain't good enough for ya?  A little slut like you…"  He pressed himself up against her.  His hand ran up her thigh to roughly tug at her skirt.  She tried to push him away, but this only succeeded in fueling the man's anger.  His other hand came up and smacked her hard across the face, eliciting a high-pitched yelp.

            There was a tap on the man's shoulder.  He swung around clumsily to face the interruption, knocking the girl to the floor in the process.  "What the fuck do you want?"

            Tifa stood with her hands on her hips, staring up at him with a venomous expression.  "I think it's time for you to leave, if you know what's good for you."

            Laughter burst from the man.  "I'm not gonna take orders from some bitch."  He moved to shove her away, but Tifa was much quicker.  She dodged him with ease.

            "Can't say I didn't warn you."  In an instant the man was slammed into the wall by Tifa's punishing right hook.  He tried to counter, but his movements were slowed by his severe inebriation.  Tifa blocked his fist, then delivered a sweeping crescent kick to the side of his head, sending him to the floor.  He struggled to stand up, profanities spilling from his mouth, but Tifa was not going to give him that chance.  She grabbed the man by the front of his beer-soaked shirt and dragged him to the door.  In one smooth motion the door was flung open and the man tossed into the street.  "If I ever catch you doing that again, I promise I won't go so easy on you!" she screamed, slamming the door shut.

            With the threat gone, Tifa turned her attention to the petrified girl now curled up on the floor.  She was trying to hold back her sobs, but was failing miserably.  Squatting down, Tifa placed a compassionate arm around her shoulders.

            "Are you alright?" she asked softly.

            The girl looked up at her savior with wide, tear-filled eyes.  "Y-Yes, thank you."  Her voice trembled as much as her body.

            "Why don't you sit down and I'll get you a glass of water."

            With a small nod of her head, the girl allowed Tifa to help her up lead her over to a nearby empty table.  Tifa tried her best to ignore the slack-jawed stares of the other bar patrons.  I must be a glutton for punishment, coming to live in the slums again, she thought with a sigh.

            As she walked over towards the bar, the door opened with a crash.  Tifa was instantly in a fighting stance once again.  "I thought I told you…" she started to say, but stopped mid-sentence when instead of the drunken slob she saw a raggedy looking man come tearing across the floor.  Tifa watched as he ran behind the bar, shoved the bartender aside, and disappeared into the kitchen.  The sound of a few glasses crashing to the ground and breaking followed by a heavy door opening and closing was heard.  She stood there, dumbfounded.

            "That was strange," Tifa mused.  Losing interest quickly, she continued towards the bar and ordered two waters.  She started to return to the table where the girl was sitting, but then the door opened once more.  "Now what?"

            Three people walked in and the entire bar went silent.  Tifa froze with shock.  Standing there were the last people she thought she'd ever see again, but there they were, blue suits and all.  "Turks," she muttered under her breath.


End file.
